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Michael Landon in "Little House on the Prairie". Source: https://ew.com/article/2014 (May be subject to copyright) |
The show was called “Highway to Heaven”, the two-part episode was called “Thoroughbreds”, and the creator, and star was Michael Landon.
Over the past few years, we have been enjoying Teeter on the show “Yellowstone”. She is a ranch hand from Texas with a drawl so thick it is virtually impossible to understand, but she is just a likeable character.
Only recently did I learn Teeter is played by Jen Landon, none other than the daughter of Michael Landon.
It brought back all sorts of memories of her dad as the youngest son of a ranching family, the head of a family of pioneers, and an angel from Heaven who could make the impossible possible.
Pa Ingalls
It is one of the iconic images of television in the ‘70s and ‘80s – a field of prairie grass with a horse drawn, covered wagon slowly making its way across the screen. A close up follows of the smiling husband and wife driving the wagon. Soon, their daughters came running towards them, one at a time.
It is one of the iconic images of television in the ‘70s and ‘80s – a field of prairie grass with a horse drawn, covered wagon slowly making its way across the screen. A close up follows of the smiling husband and wife driving the wagon. Soon, their daughters came running towards them, one at a time.
That man, who led his wife and three daughters in a quest for a better life was Charles Ingalls, played by Michael Landon on the show “Little House on the Prairie”.
We watched it religiously on Channel 7 of the three-channel, peasant vision dial and took in the trials and tribulations of the Ingalls family. How Mary, the oldest, ultimately went blind, how Laura, the middle child did battle with Nellie Oleson the school Bully, and how the Ingalls carved out a life for themselves in Walnut Grove, Minnesota.
The show ran from 1974 to 1983, morphing into “Little House: A New Beginning” for its final season, and spawning three subsequent television movies.
Through it all, my mom would tell me she still pictured Michael Landon as “Little Joe”, not Charles Ingalls.
I wasn’t sure what she meant, so I asked her.
A “Bonanza” of information
She told me all about a show she watched back in the 1960s, a western about a widowed man and his three sons in the Old West. It was called “Bonanza”, chronicled the exploits of the Cartwright family, and was set on the Ponderosa Ranch.
She told me all about a show she watched back in the 1960s, a western about a widowed man and his three sons in the Old West. It was called “Bonanza”, chronicled the exploits of the Cartwright family, and was set on the Ponderosa Ranch.
Mom told me Ben Cartwright, the patriarch of the family, was played by Lorne Greene. She explained he was Canadian, and actually got his start on the CBC. I knew him only as Commander Adama from “Battlestar Galactica”.
The eldest son, Adam, was played by Pernell Roberts. I only knew him as a much older actor, playing the title role on “Trapper John, M.D.”
Dan Blocker played Hoss, the middle son. I had never seen him anywhere else. Mom told me that was because he had died having an operation near the end of the run of “Bonanza”. Interestingly, I watched a show called “Baa Baa Black Sheep” about American air force pilots in the Second World War, and one of them was played by a Dirk Blocker. When Mom saw him, without knowing his name, she said, “He looks just like Hoss”. As it turns out, Dirk Blocker is the son of Dan Blocker.
The youngest Carwright son was “Little Joe”, and he was played by – Michael Landon.
I could not imagine him as a young man nor the little brother of anyone.
Then, one day, I read in “TV Guide” a listing for “Bonanza” on a Saturday morning at like 11 a.m. So I tuned in, and got my first look at the Cartwrights.
Boy, did Michael Landon look young. The first thing that struck me was his hair was so much shorter and close to his head. Charles Ingalls had bushy hair that bulged out of his hat.
One episode I always remember has some of the boys pinned down. Ben Cartwright returns to the Ponderosa for supplies. Hop Sing, the cook for the ranch, hands him two packages. One is huge.
“This is for Adam and Little Joe?” Ben asks.
“No,” Hop Sing responds. “That is for Mr. Hoss.”
Then he hands a smaller one to Ben.
“This one is for Mr. Little Joe and Mr. Adam.”
I laughed so hard. They were always making fun of Hoss’ size.
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Michael Landon in "Highway to Heaven". Source: Mario Casilli/TV Guide/NBC/ courtesy Everett CollectionMario Casilli/TV Guide/NBC/courtesy Everett Collection https://www.remindmagazine.com/ (May be subject to copyright) |
About the time when “Bonanza" was airing in re-runs and “Little House on the Prairie” was ending, Michael Landon was back on TV in 1984 with a new show.
It was a first for Landon, set in modern day America, not the past or the Old West.
The show was called “Highway to Heaven” and Landon played Jonathan Smith, an angel trying to earn his wings by helping people out.
We never saw God, who Smith referred to as “The Boss”, but we did see the man who helped him out in each episode, a retired cop named Mark Gordon played by Victor French. Interestingly, the two had played together in “Little House on the Prairie” as well. Wikipedia revealed Michael Landon was loyal to his people, taking several with him from one show to the next and the next.
I watched “Highway to Heaven” religiously in its first two seasons, 1984-1985 and 1985-1986. Then life got busy and I kind of stopped watching.
Special moments
There were several episodes that really touched my heart. There was one where a young baseball prospect, played by Ken Olandt, loses his legs in a car accident and loses his hope. Jonathan and Mark come along to change that. They introduce him to their friend Scotty who is a practising lawyer and a quadriplegic. The three of them ultimately convince the boy to take up gymnastics and the pommel horse where legs are not needed – it’s all upper body strength.
There were several episodes that really touched my heart. There was one where a young baseball prospect, played by Ken Olandt, loses his legs in a car accident and loses his hope. Jonathan and Mark come along to change that. They introduce him to their friend Scotty who is a practising lawyer and a quadriplegic. The three of them ultimately convince the boy to take up gymnastics and the pommel horse where legs are not needed – it’s all upper body strength.
There is another episode where a man with a birth mark on his face is ostracized and actually blamed for an attack on a young girl. Then Jonathan and Mark call on the aforementioned Scottie again, this time to use his skills in the court room, to help the man out. In the end, he is acquitted, accepted, and gets the girl in the end. It is an obvious allegory of “Beauty and the Beast” and it is awesome.
Of course, the episode that touched my heart was “Thoroughbreds”. John Hammond plays a spoiled rich boy who competes at a high level in equestrian. Along comes Ruthie, played by a very young Helen Hunt, who is the daughter of the head stable hand. She shows our rich kid that she can ride the horse, Busepheles, that he cannot. In fact, she beats him at the show he was preparing so hard for. Of course, the sparks fly, they have always had feelings for each other, elope and the story goes from there.
I had taped this when it was on live, but never watched it. I just didn’t think it would be that good from the opening. Then it aired in reruns in the summer of 1988, and I watched it. Boy was I wrong. It was awesome.
Behind the scenes
Michael Landon also produced, directed and wrote “Highway to Heaven”. I read in TV Guide how he may not have a script on Thursday for the next week, but would take a manila pad of paper and start writing. He would take the weekend, and have something to shoot on Monday.
Michael Landon also produced, directed and wrote “Highway to Heaven”. I read in TV Guide how he may not have a script on Thursday for the next week, but would take a manila pad of paper and start writing. He would take the weekend, and have something to shoot on Monday.
“Highway to Heaven” ran from 1984 to 1989. It’s last season was cut short too, after ratings dwindled. It was a sad ending to a show that had been great.
Getting personal
When I spent summers in Brooks, I would hang out with my cousins. My cousin Fred always had interesting stuff around, and was always doing cool things. During my first summer there, he showed me “The Book of Lists” for the first time. It was chock full of cool lists of everything you can imagine. On one of those lists, I discovered Michael Landon’s real name is Eugene Orowitz.
When I spent summers in Brooks, I would hang out with my cousins. My cousin Fred always had interesting stuff around, and was always doing cool things. During my first summer there, he showed me “The Book of Lists” for the first time. It was chock full of cool lists of everything you can imagine. On one of those lists, I discovered Michael Landon’s real name is Eugene Orowitz.
A year or two later Channel 2&7 brought in someone interesting for Whoop-Up Days in August. Over the course of a few years, they would bring in some celebrities, always from shows airing on Channel 2&7, and usually from the soap opera “Young and the Restless”. They would appear in the Whoop-Up Days parade, and be available to meet fans and sign autographs.
One year, they brought in Leslie Landon, who had appeared on “Little House on the Prairie”. When we saw her in the parade, I said, “Look, it’s Leslie Orowitz”.
Leslie is also the half-sister of Jen Landon, of “Yellowstone” fame.
It was around that time too, that I read Michael Landon got his start in cheesy low budget movies, most notably “I Was a Teenage Werewolf”.
I actually didn’t believe it at first. He just did not seem to be the type. Yet it was true.
Michael Landon would develop pancreatic cancer and die on July 1, 1991.
He was 54.
Parting thoughts
Michael Landon appeared on the cover of “TV Guide” 22 times. It just seemed to fit who he was – this comfortable, caring, father figure who would always find a way to save the day. It also showed he kept telling stories and portraying characters that resonated with viewers.
Michael Landon appeared on the cover of “TV Guide” 22 times. It just seemed to fit who he was – this comfortable, caring, father figure who would always find a way to save the day. It also showed he kept telling stories and portraying characters that resonated with viewers.
That went for his time as a rancher, a pioneer, and an angel.
“Bonanza” ran from 1959 to 1973; “Little House on the Prairie” ran from 1974 to 1983; and “Highway to Heaven” ran from 1984 to 1989.
That is 30 consecutive years on television.
One of the big reasons he was able to provide comfort television was that he was always there.
He was a constant in my television life, a comfort and a great storyteller.
Although he appeared in our living rooms for 30 straight years, he died too young, and still had so much more to give.
Still – Little Joe Cartwright, Pa Ingalls, Jonathan Smith – thanks for the memories.
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